(1) The Attorney General, by rule, may do any of the following:

(a) Authorize the Attorney General’s office, a district attorney’s office, any state agency within the executive branch of government or any specific individual or group within any of these to:

(A) Issue satisfactions of the money award portions of judgments; or

(B) Release a judgment lien from a specific parcel of real property when either the judgment lien does not attach to any equity in the real property or the amount of equity in the real property to which the judgment lien attaches, less costs of sale or other reasonable expenses, is paid upon the judgment.

(b) Establish procedures and requirements that any person described under paragraph (a) of this subsection must follow to issue satisfactions or releases.

(2) Authorization of a person under subsection (1) of this section is permissive and such person is not required to issue satisfactions or releases if authorized. However, if a person is authorized under subsection (1) of this section and does issue satisfactions or releases, the person must comply with the procedures and requirements established by the Attorney General by rule.

(3) If the Attorney General establishes a program under subsection (1) of this section, the Attorney General’s office shall issue satisfactions and releases under the program unless the Attorney General determines that there are sufficient other agencies authorized under subsection (1) of this section who are actually participating in the program to provide reasonable access to satisfactions and releases on a statewide basis.

(4)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection, when the entries in the register and the financial accounting records for the court show conclusively that a monetary obligation imposed in a criminal action has been paid in full, the clerk of the court may note in the register that the money award portion of the judgment has been paid in full. Notation in the register under this paragraph constitutes a satisfaction of the money award portion of the judgment. The clerk of the court is not civilly liable for any act or omission in making the notation in the register in the manner authorized by this paragraph.

(b) When a monetary obligation imposed in a criminal action is paid by a negotiable instrument, the clerk of the court shall proceed as provided in paragraph (a) of this subsection only after the expiration of 21 days from the date the negotiable instrument is received by the court. The clerk may proceed as provided in paragraph (a) of this subsection before the expiration of the 21-day period if the judgment debtor or any other interested person makes a request that the clerk proceed and provides information that establishes to the satisfaction of the clerk that the instrument has been honored.

(c) This subsection does not authorize the clerk of a court to compromise, settle or partially satisfy a monetary obligation imposed in a criminal action, or to release part of any property subject to a judgment lien.

(5) Any satisfaction issued by a person authorized under this section may be entered in the same manner and has the same effect on the money award portion of a judgment as a satisfaction issued for the money award portions of a judgment from a civil action or proceeding.

(6) The release of judgment liens on specific parcels of real property by the Attorney General or by a person authorized by the Attorney General under subsection (1) of this section is discretionary. The money award portion of the judgment shall remain a lien against all real property not specifically released. [1989 c.472 §4; 1993 c.145 §1; 1997 c.801 §68; 2003 c.576 §164]

Note: 137.452 was enacted into law by the Legislative Assembly but was not added to or made a part of ORS chapter 137 or any series therein by legislative action. See Preface to Oregon Revised Statutes for further explanation.